Finn
Hello. Welcome to 6 Minute Grammar with me, Finn.
Alice
And me, Alice. Hello.
Finn
And today we’re talking about the present perfect tense.
Alice
That’s right: the present perfect tense. When we use it, how to form it, how to make negatives and questions…
Finn
We’ll look at the words ever and never…
Alice
And we’ll have some pronunciation tips.
Finn
And there’ll be a quiz at the end of the show, so keep listening!
Alice
Let’s get started with some present perfect sentences. Hello Catherine!
Catherine
Hello.
Alice
Some example sentences please…
Catherine
I’ve seen Miley Cyrus in concert.
Janie has travelled all over the world.
Finn
Thank you, Catherine. So one way we use the present perfect tense is to talk about life experience: things we’ve done at some time in the past.
Alice
That’s right and we make the present perfect tense with a subject, plus have or has, plus a past participle. Once more please Catherine.
Catherine
I’ve seen Miley Cyrus in concert.
Janie has travelled all over the world.
Alice
Now we don’t say when this experience happened, because with the present perfect, we are interested in the experience itself.
Finn
That’s right. The present perfect often focusses on what happened, not when it happened.
Alice
Ok. So Finn, ask me a question about something I’ve done.
Finn
Ok. Have you seen Skyfall?
Alice
Have I seen Skyfall? The James Bond film? Yes, I have: I’ve seen it three times.
Finn
Three times, eh? So with the present perfect we don’t say when, but we can say how many times the experience happened.
Alice
Now, let’s look at ever and never. They basically mean ‘at any time in someone’s life’.
Finn
Ever is very common in questions. Alice: Have you ever eaten sushi?
Alice
Yes, I have. I love sushi.
Finn
Me too. And Alice, have you ever ridden a camel?
Alice
No Finn, no: I have never ridden a camel.
Finn
Well, actually, neither have I. And we use never to talk about life experiences that we haven’t had. Alice has never ridden a camel. Though I think you should try it: I hear it’s fun!
Alice
Really? Let’s do it together.
Finn
Yes, ok.
Alice
Let’s look at pronunciation. We use lots of short forms with present perfect.
Finn
First, I have is often shortened to I’ve. I have read that book becomes…
Alice
I’ve read that book.
Finn
And has becomes just a s or a z sound. So instead of Janie has travelled it’s…
Alice
Janie’s travelled.
Finn
And as for negatives: we make them by putting not between have or has and the past participle. But we can shorten have not to haven’t and has not to hasn’t. Catherine.
Catherine
I haven’t seen all the Bond films.
Rachel hasn’t taught English in Japan.
Finn
Now, in sentences with never, the subject and have or has can be shortened. I have becomes I’ve, and he has becomes he’s. Catherine
Catherine
I’ve never heard of Sportlobster.
Poor Alice – She’s never ridden a camel!
IDENT
You’re listening to BBC Learning English.
Finn
And we’re talking about the present perfect tense. Alice, now ask me a question about my life experiences.
Alice
Ok… Finn, have you seen Skyfall?
Finn
Well, a negative answer would be No, I haven’t. But my answer is: Yes I have. Guess how many times I’ve seen Skyfall?
Alice
Ok… I think you’ve seen it five times.
Finn
No… not five times.
Alice
Ok. How many times have you seen Skyfall?
Finn
I’ve seen Skyfall 20 times… I watched the DVD last night; I saw it on TV last week; and I saw it at the cinema when it first came out…
Alice
Ok, Finn – we get the picture… When we answer a present perfect question about our experience, we can add a past simple sentence to give more information – like saying when the experience happened.
Finn
Quiz time?! So here’s question one – and play along at home if you want. Alice, you have to answer with never. So: Have you ever seen a ghost?
Alice
No, I’ve never seen a ghost.
Finn
Are you sure?
Alice
Maybe.
Finn
Now, for question two, answer with times. How many times have you eaten sushi?
Alice
I’ve eaten sushi about a million times.
Finn
About a million times? Really? Only a million? Now for question three, I need a short answer. Have you ever visited BBC Learning English on Facebook?
Alice
Yes, I have!
Finn
OK – me too. And as well as on our Facebook page, you can find lots more information about the present perfect tense on our website at www.bbc-story.com. Join us again for more 6 Minute Grammar.
Both
Bye.
Grammar Reference
Present Perfect
Meaning and use
Positive
The present perfect is made with subject + have/has + past participle.
I’ve taught English in Italy and in Russia.
Johnny Depp has starred in lots of brilliant films.
Negative
The negative present perfect is made with subject + have/has not + past participle.
I haven’t seen the first Bond film.
I haven’t seen the first Bond film.
Questions
Present perfect yes/no questions are made from have/has + subject + past participle?
Present perfect question word questions are made from question word + have/has + subject + past participle?
Ever and never
We often use the present perfect with the words ever or never. Ever mean at any time in someone’s life. We usually use ever in questions.
‘Has he ever worked in China?’ ‘No, he hasn’t.’
Never means not at any time in someone’s life.
I’ve never seen the first Bond film.
Sometimes we ask questions with never. Often we do this to express surprise:
Have you never eaten a banana?
Past participles
The past participle is the third form of the verb. For example, with the verb to see, the three forms are: see, saw, seen.
We use the past participle in present perfect sentences with ever and never.
Have you ever eaten sushi?
I’ve never seen the first Bond film.
Regular and irregular verbs
Many verbs are regular. The past participle ends with -ed
look – looked – looked
climb – climbed – climbed
want – wanted – wanted
Some verbs are irregular. Here are some of them:
become – became – become
eat – ate – eaten
forget – forgot – forgotten
give – gave – given
go – went – gone / been
have – had – had
know – knew – known
meet – met – met
read – read – read
ride – rode – ridden
run – ran – run
say – said – said
see – saw – seen
sell – sold – sold
sing – sang – sung
win – won – won
write – wrote – written